Don’t Sleep on Drought this Winter
Consecutive drier growing seasons have depleted deeper layer soil moisture and dropped water table levels across much of Illinois. Without near to wetter than normal conditions in winter, dry soil conditions could persist into the spring. El Niño conditions in the Pacific increase the chances of drier and warmer than normal weather, which could also impede longer-term drought recovery, especially in parts of western Illinois that have accumulated the largest deficits since the start of 2022.
Worsening Dryness May Lead to Rapid-Onset Drought Conditions
Weather conditions have been dry the past four to six weeks in parts of Illinois. Forecasts for the next 7 to 10 days show very dry weather and above normal temperatures, which will likely worsen already dry conditions in the state.
Current U.S. Drought Conditions for Illinois
To view current U.S. drought conditions, check out the Current U.S. Drought Monitor Conditions for Illinois. The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) is updated each [...]
Current Soil & Moisture Conditions and Outlooks to Summer
2020 marked the third consecutive year with statewide total annual precipitation above the long-term average, and it was the eighth wetter than average calendar [...]
2019 Weather Summary and a Look Forward to 2020
The 2019 weather year was chaotic and variable, with multiple extreme events that added tremendous difficulty for farmers and producers. Here I’ll review the [...]
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